Vietnam’s An Giang approves use of protective forest land for Phu Quoc airport expansion

At a special session of the An Giang People’s Council, lawmakers passed four resolutions including the change of forest land use for the airport expansion project.

The reclassified land spans 0.46 hectares and is located in lot 1, compartment 11, sub-zone 78 of the Phu Quoc Special Zone in An Giang Province.

The council also approved changes to the province’s 2026 public investment plan, cutting funding for four projects by a combined VND1.335 trillion (US$51.6 million) and increasing funds for 16 other projects by the same amount.

The province’s total mid-term public investment plan for 2026–30 is projected at nearly VND130 trillion ($5 billion), financed by central and local budgets.

Phu Quoc International Airport is undergoing a major expansion with a total investment of about VND22 trillion ($845 million) to boost capacity and upgrade facilities, a project approved to help serve the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for 2027.

Under planning approved by the Ministry of Construction, the airport’s infrastructure is set to meet International Civil Aviation Organization standards, with increased passenger and cargo capacity and facilities to handle larger aircraft and higher traffic volumes, reflecting longer-term growth objectives for the province.

Vietnam has also transferred management and operation of the airport to a private operator as part of development efforts to upgrade capacity and services.